Walk to wellness

Boost the mental and physical benefits of a regular stroll by moving it to the morning. From better sleep to a more productive day, you’ll notice the difference fast

We all know that walking can help support our general heath and fitness*, but experts are now hailing the added benefits that doing it early doors can have on our brains as well as our bodies. It could be key to getting top-quality sleep**. Dr Katherine Irvine, senior researcher in environment, wellbeing and sustainable behaviour at the James Hutton Institute, is a firm believer in the power of a morning walk.

‘Taking a walk outside is a great way to clear your mind, put things in perspective and think about things you might not otherwise have the time (or want to!) think about,’ she says. Katherine has been studying the wellbeing impact of walking in nature on people†.

‘We are starting to see evidence that spending time in nature-rich environments, where there are many different types of birds, for

3 Ways To See The Light

Dr Michael Mosley explains in his podcast, Just One Thing°

1 ‘Early exposure to light suppresses melatonin, the hormone that encourages us to go to sleep, so you’ll feel wide awake with bright light in the morning1 ’

2 ‘Light brings your body clock forward so that in the evening when you want to go to sleep, your body is ready. If you’re struggling to sleep at night, it could be because you’re not getting enough bright light, particularly in the morning2.’

3 Daylight also boosts serotonin, the ‘happy neurotransmitter’, which helps regulate our mood. So the earlier in the day you get outside, the better the chance you’re giving yourself of starting the day with a smile. 3

‘The ‘nature’ you walk in does not need to be vast,’ she explains. Is there a small park near you? Or a local stream or canal to walk along? A farm field, perhaps?’

Pick up the pace

If you can up the pace on a walk, your body will reap the benefits. Marie Murphy is professor of exercise and health at Ulster University. She was behind a huge study that found that walking faster could help you live longer^.

‘If you want to get the best bang for your buck on your morning walk, moving a little faster will increase the benefits,’ she says. ‘I describe the pace as walking like you are a bit late for an appointment or a bus. You should still be able to talk but you’ll feel warmer and breathe a little heavier than when walking slower.’

‘My day is hugely improved with a morning walk.’ example, as well as different sounds and colours, can improve our wellbeing.’ She says that spring is the best time to give early morning strolls a go if you aren’t used to squeezing one in. And there’s good news for city dwellers too:

The study of over 50,000 walkers revealed that walking at a brisk or fast pace was found to be associated with a 24% risk reduction for mortality of any kind, compared with walking at a slow pace. Now, that’s definitely something worth jumping out of bed for.

*www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/running-and-aerobic-exercises/walking-for-health/; **thesleepcharity.org.uk/information-support/adults/sleep-hub/ circadian-rhythms; www.hutton.ac.uk/news/need-stress-buster-go-nature-walk; podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/just-one-thing-with-michael-mosley/ id1560369423; www.ulster.ac.uk/news/2018/june/study-finds-walking-faster-could-help-you-live-longer; 1www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/ blue-light-has-a-dark-side; 2www.cdc.gov/niosh/emres/longhourstraining/light; 3www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3779905/

Rebecca Paddick adopted her beagle, Ray, two years ago. ‘I get up and out much earlier since I’ve had Ray: I have a strong sense of purpose when I wake up now. Our morning walks are the best. When Ray is off doing his own thing (sniffing or looking for mischief), it’s a great time for me to think about the day ahead. When I’m walking on my own, I tend to feel the need to listen to music, whereas with Ray I’m more aware of my surroundings and feel very focused and engaged in the moment. The energy boost makes me more productive, which in turn makes me feel happy and helps me sleep better.’